1. Opammavagga

Saṁyutta Nikāya 20.2

Linked Discourses 20.2

1. Opammavagga

1. Similes

Nakhasikhasutta

A Fingernail

Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati.

At Sāvatthī.

Atha kho bhagavā parittaṁ nakhasikhāyaṁ paṁsuṁ āropetvā bhikkhū āmantesi:

Then the Buddha, picking up a little bit of dirt on his fingernail, addressed the mendicants:

“Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhikkhave,

“What do you think, mendicants?

katamaṁ nu kho bahutaraṁ, yo cāyaṁ mayā paritto nakhasikhāyaṁ paṁsu āropito yā cāyaṁ mahāpathavī”ti?

Which is more: the little bit of dirt on my fingernail, or this great earth?”

“Etadeva, bhante, bahutaraṁ yadidaṁ mahāpathavī.

“Sir, the great earth is far more.

Appamattakoyaṁ bhagavatā paritto nakhasikhāyaṁ paṁsu āropito.

The little bit of dirt on your fingernail is tiny.

Saṅkhampi na upeti upanidhimpi na upeti kalabhāgampi na upeti mahāpathaviṁ upanidhāya bhagavatā paritto nakhasikhāyaṁ paṁsu āropito”ti.

Compared to the great earth, it doesn’t count, there’s no comparison, it’s not worth a fraction.”

“Evameva kho, bhikkhave, appakā te sattā ye manussesu paccājāyanti;

“In the same way the sentient beings reborn as humans are few,

atha kho eteyeva bahutarā sattā ye aññatra manussehi paccājāyanti.

while those not reborn as humans are many.

Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ:

So you should train like this:

‘appamattā viharissāmā’ti.

‘We will stay diligent.’

Evañhi vo, bhikkhave, sikkhitabban”ti.

That’s how you should train.”

Dutiyaṁ.